


Beautiful

by slugbuggie



Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Sibling Love, Siblings, Sort Of, caspian is basically lucy's big brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:21:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25587424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slugbuggie/pseuds/slugbuggie
Summary: Everyone needs to be told they're beautiful every now and then, even the queen of Narnia.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> It baffles me that not one person told Lucy she was beautiful when she was questioning it, so have this little drabble. In which Edmund is a dumb older brother and Caspian feels left out but helps Ed articulate whatever the hell he's tryna say anyway.  
> Basically I love Lucy and everyone else should love her too and all I want to do is shake them and make them tell her how pretty she is.

Each evening aboard the Dawn Treader, Lucy and Edmund would make their way to Caspian’s study, accompanied some nights by Drinian, or Reepicheep, even Eustace, on occasion. Whoever the company, the monarchs made a point to spend each evening in each other’s presence, sharing stories, jokes, songs, and sometimes, just sitting together in the lamplight, basking in the comfort of togetherness.

“Ed?” Lucy said softly, so as not to bother Caspian, who was bent over his desk, scribbling something down. It was late, but the three of them were reluctant to bid each other goodnight each evening, they never knew when it would be time for Edmund and Lucy to return home. The ship swayed gently, and Edmund looked away from the window with a grunt. 

“Yes, Lu?” Lucy snapped her book shut and, with another glance at Caspian, scooted closer to her brother on the bench.

“Do you think I look like Susan?” she asked quietly. Edmund wasn’t usually the one Lucy confided in with her troubles, they were close, of course, the two youngest, the first of their siblings to discover Narnia, but throughout her childhood, she more often went to Susan for advice, or to Peter to ease her mind. In the last months, she and Edmund had grown closer, they’d had to with Peter and Susan away, but her looks were still something she wasn’t quite sure how to discuss with her brother. 

At her question, Edmund frowned and turned toward her completely.

“What are you on about, Lu? You asked me the same thing just before we came here.” He sounded frustrated. Although to be fair, Edmund often _sounded_ frustrated, it didn’t mean he actually was. Lucy looked down at her hands awkwardly, unable to phrase the question in any other way.

“I just mean, do I look like her?”

“Well, yes, a bit. You’re sisters, aren’t you? Do I look like Pete?” Lucy raised an eyebrow as she looked up to meet her brother’s eyes, picturing Peter’s blond hair, and the blue irises that seemed to have been granted only to the eldest Pevensie children. Another trait of Susan’s she envied.

“A _bit_.”

“Well, there you go. We all look a bit alike because we’re all _related_ , Lu.”

“That’s not what I _mean_ , Edmund.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” In his exasperation, he was beginning to get a bit loud, and as much as she loved Caspian, Lucy did not want to discuss her beauty, or lack thereof, in front of a man who loved her sister. She knew his thoughts on the matter, and if King Edmund the _Noisy_ could just keep his voice down, she would be able to keep his bias out of the conversation.

“I mean, do I _look_ like Susan,” she whispered, eyes flicking to Caspian to be sure he wasn’t listening, then back down to the closed book in her hands.

“Well, _I don’t know_ , Lucy, you’ve got similarities and differences. You’ve got the same nose, for one thing. But your hair isn’t quite the same color. Yours is lighter, isn’t it? And your eyes-”

“That’s not what I _mean_ , Edmund, God, you’re _thick_ , aren’t you?” Lucy huffed. She pulled away from her brother and opened her book, tears pricking her eyes. 

“Lu! What did I say? Lucy, I’m sorry,” Edmund sputtered, confused by her reaction.

“Oh, nevermind. Just forget I said anything.”

“ _Lucy_ -”

“ _Nevermind_ , Edmund.”

“Lu, listen, I didn’t mean to upset you. Just tell me-”

“I meant am I _beautiful_ , Edmund? Am I beautiful like Susan?” Lucy burst out suddenly, looking up into her brother’s widening eyes.

“Lucy.” The voice that spoke was not Edmund’s. For a moment it thundered in Lucy’s head like Aslan’s and she turned her head, tearful eyes wide, expecting to find the great lion before her, only to see that Caspian had turned in his chair, facing the two of them. “What your brother is _trying_ to say is that you and Susan are not comparable,” he told her, pointing his quill to punctuate the last word. “You’re lovely in your own way, as is she, and there’s not a lady to rival either one of you.” He smiled warmly at Lucy, as if the fact were obvious. “Now, the two of you are whispering much too loudly, and since you’re not actually including me in this conversation, I’d like to finish this letter. I do have alliances to uphold, you know.” He cocked his head knowingly, not waiting for a response before shifting his chair around, leaving the two siblings in startled silence. After a moment, Lucy scooted back to the center of the bench to sit beside her brother.

“Sorry for getting upset,” she murmured, a bit sheepishly. Edmund rolled his eyes and bumped her shoulder.

“Oh, don’t be sorry, Lucy,” he sighed. “Just speak plainly next time. I mean, are you daft? Of _course_ you’re beautiful, Lu. You’re probably the most beautiful lady I know. More beautiful than Susan for sure, since you’re not nearly as bossy as she is.” Lucy laughed softly, warm relief flooding her chest, and as she leaned into Edmund’s side he wrapped her up in his arms. 

“Thanks, Ed.”

“I’m serious, Lu. You’re the most beautiful lady I know.” And at that moment, Lucy couldn’t help but begin to believe him. She told herself in all his levities, Edmund really was the best of her siblings to be asking such a question. Somehow, he’d grown from a tricksy child to truthful king in their years of reign during the Golden Age, and if his sister asked him something, Lucy trusted Edmund would answer sincerely. They’d changed, each of the Pevensie children, since bursting from that wardrobe in the woods, and it was true; if King Edmund the Just was anything, he was honest. 

Curled against her brother’s side, watching the room sway to the swell of the sea, Lucy thought that perhaps she was a bit beautiful. After all, Edmund said so.


End file.
